Homeplot: On a Jet Plane

[missingthekeep]

Sean's not sure what to think. Since waking up in their Washington hotel room yet again that morning, he's been in a perpetual state of unease that has nothing to do with the absolute reaming that is no doubt in store for him in London. He's half-tempted to suggest just going on the lam with Meredith for however much longer this lasts, but for now, he spends his time fidgeting in his cramped economy seat on the plane (maybe he'd been on something of a spending spree, but the tickets had been booked on their behalf), playing with a tiny, empty scotch bottle.

"Least all yer paperwork went through without a hitch," he says, looking over at Meredith with a cheerfulness that, vague unease aside, remains pretty genuine after the events of the last day. Maybe they should have gone back by now, maybe there's more to this than they initially thought, but whatever they're facing, they're still facing it together.

Comments

[drownondryland]

"There is that," Meredith says. "At least I can stop holding my breath." On one hand, security's comparatively lax these days, but when all her identification's fake, that proved to be small comfort. She knew it had to be flawless, but that didn't make it any less worrying. Not knowing how they're still here doesn't help much with her nerves, but one way or another, they are, and this really isn't how she thought she'd travel abroad again if she ever did.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Ye're jus' lucky I resisted the temptation ta get them ta put ye down as Mrs. McArdle," Sean teases mildly, sticking the bottle on his index finger and playfully waving it at her. There wasn't too much worry on his end about whether her passport would be up to snuff, but after crossing the bloody Berlin Wall with forged papers, this is pretty tame stuff.

[drownondryland]

Meredith makes a face at the idea. "Yes, thank you," she says. "Being Mrs. anyone would be weird enough without bringing a completely different name into the equation." They'll have to talk about this eventually. She's not sure a cramped plane is the right place for it, but they are on the topic. Sort of. It's close enough at least. Then again, her stance on that particular title is hardly news, she's sure.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"But ye seemed so keen so keen on't back at the hospital," Sean goes on, still grinning and absently waving the bottle. "Thought f'r certain ye were a fan."

[drownondryland]

"I thought it was funny," Meredith counters, almost laughing as she makes a grab for the bottle. "You really want me going around with someone else's name?"

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"I do it all the time," Sean points out, making a slight show of pulling the bottle back but still letting her take it easily. "Here, I do, anyhow. An' at least that way we'd match."

[drownondryland]

Meredith taps him on the head with it. "I don't want to match," she says, smiling as she shakes her head at him. "I like my name. And I'm not you, playing someone else all the time."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"What's wrong wi' matchin'?" Sean asks, looking slightly put out for a moment, although that's got more to do with her tapping him with the bottle than anything else.

[drownondryland]

"Nothing is wrong with it," Meredith says, shrugging. "It's... just not me." Just because it works for nearly every other woman she knows doesn't mean it works for her. She's never entirely understood the urge to change names anyway.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Sean says, and this time he doesn't have the excuse of the bottle to explain away his slight pout. "Well... have ye e'er really thought about it?"

[drownondryland]

"Changing my name?" Meredith's shoulders lift, not quite a shrug. "It's not like I have anything against your name, I like your name, I just... like my name. At the very least, if we ever get back home for real, I'd want to do my work and my research under it. It's... me."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"It'd still be you either way," Sean says mildly, not wanting to make a big deal out of this when she obviously isn't. "Marryin' a person isnae the same as... playin' someone else."

[drownondryland]

"I know," Meredith says quickly. It isn't the life she ever envisioned for herself, at least before him, but that doesn't mean it isn't her. She twists the ring around her finger, shaking her head. "I know it's not. And I, I know it would be, it's just... strange for me. You don't have to get used to a new name, I... I don't know."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Strange c'n be good," Sean feels compelled to point out, since there's almost no part of the past few days that doesn't fit that description in some capacity. "I mean, there's lots o' things t'be gettin' used to, on both our parts."

[drownondryland]

Meredith hesitates, watching him. It's one thing to cave on the dress, the ring, all of that. She isn't sure about this one at all. If it really matters to him, she knows she'll at least be tempted to give in, but she's still a Grey. "What about both names?" she suggests. "A, a hyphenate. Grey-Cassidy, that's not bad. Doctor Grey-Cassidy." Actually, it's kind of a mouthful, now she's said it, but she could live with that.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Kind of a mouthful, innit?" Sean asks, quirking an eyebrow. Still, it's something, and he doesn't want act otherwise. The problem is that this isn't a conversation he's ever really anticipated having, and he's really not sure how he's supposed to be going about it. "But no, nae bad."

[drownondryland]

"It kind of is," Meredith admits, pouting a little at having to do so. It's usually part of getting married, she knows, but it doesn't have to be. She just doesn't know how to explain it so it makes sense to him. She sighs. "Let me think about it. Maybe it'll grow on me. But no one is calling me Mrs. whatever."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

Sean can't help but grin at that, even with the slightly perplexing nature of the discussion. "Perish the thought," he assures her as he tries to take the bottle back, an oddly hopeful look coming over him. "Still, ye've got t'admit, Dr. Cassidy's got a pretty nice ring to't."

[drownondryland]

Meredith hands him his bottle back, sighing again. "It does," she says, "I admit it. But you aren't going to get me to go all gooey and girly by putting our names together." She glances away, trying it out. "Meredith Cassidy. I don't know. I'll think about it."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"All I c'n ask," Sean says, leaning forward to try and catch her gaze again. "An' d'ye really think we'd be at a point to discuss this if'n I wanted someone gooey an' girly?"

[drownondryland]

Meredith starts to smile in spite of herself. "No," she admits, turning and kissing him. "You'd have to find someone else and I'm not giving this ring back." Actually, she's sort of starting to get used to it. She would be if she could stop fidgeting with it, anyway.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Smart woman," Sean quietly laughs, reaching out to cover her hand with his own. "But since I'm nae findin' anyone else, the point seems moot."

[drownondryland]

"Entirely," Meredith agrees. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she shakes it. "I will wear the dress, though. If we can find one that isn't hideous." She's not holding her breath on that front, though.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Yeah?" Sean asks, visibly buoyed by this. "Well, that box does seem ta cooperate when it comes ta special occasions, aye? An' I'm sure there are plenty o' folk 'round there who c'n put somethin' together if nae. That's great, Meredith."

[drownondryland]

Meredith laughs, brow raising, though she's pleased he is. "Is it?" she asks. "I guess so. We'll see. If I can't find anything I actually like, I'm wearing whatever I can find that's half-decent, so you better hope it's on your side."